Marine motor



H. L. JOHNSON MARINE MOTOR Nov. 13, 1934.y

Filed Aug. 17. 1931 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 1,980,685 MARINE Moron Harry L. Johnson, Waukegan, Ill., lassignor to Johnson Brothers `Engineering Corporation, Waukegan, Ill., a corporation of Indiana Application August 17,

Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of lny application for Marine motor, Serial 292,876 led July 14, 1928, Patent Number 1,943,323 of January 16, 1934.

5 This invention relates in general to propulsion devices for water Vehicles and more particularly to a submergible propeller carrying unit mounted for-steering at the rear of the water vehicle, its propeller driven by the primemover thereof,

lo and arranged to tilt Iupwardly to avoid obstructions such as Sand bars, logs, and the like.

A principal object of the invention is in the provision of a prime mover such as an inboard or outboard type of motor which has a propeller and a driving connection therewith, and an adjustable anti-torque plate whereby the side thrust or torque of the propeller isl subs'tan tially corrected or equalized permittingthe'propeller carrying unit to turn as easily in one direction as the other.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel mounting of the engine or its casing directly upon the transom or hull of a boat and in securing a propeller driving umt thereto, a

portion of the unit being mounted to tilt upwardly about a horizontalA axis and rotatable for steering.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the inven-` all of the parts making a water tight casing.

tion.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side View partly in section showing the invention; and Fig. 2 is a detail of the anti-torque plate.

In operating a marine `motor of this type which has a propeller carrying unit rotatable for steering, it is found that the rotation of the unity is easy in one direction and hard in the other due to the side thrust or torque of the propeller dependent upon the direction of rotation of the propeller. To counteract or equalize this` unbalanced condition it is necessary to provide an unbalanced resistance, such as an obstruction on the unit, or to incline the unit, or a portion of it, or to provide an anti-torque plate as shown and described herein which may be l magneto 8 at one end whichl mayalso include 1931, Serial No. 557,568

a rope starter plate. In addition there are the usual adjunctive devices such as the gasoline supply tank 10, a carburetor 11, and an exhaust muiiier 12 which discharges through an exhaust pipe 14 extending through the rear of the boat. 60

Cooling water for the engine is drawn upwardly by means of a pump through a 'pipe 32 extending through the bottom of the boat and is circulated through the water jacket of the engine and `thence discharged throughy a pipe 34 65 into the muliler 12 and vwith the gas discharged through the muiiier pipe 14 at the back of the boat.

This propulsion device which drives the boat forwardly or rearwardly consists in'general in 70 a submergible unit which has mounted therein and preferably enclosed in a water-tight casing or housing, a substantially vertically disposed driven shaft 16. This shaft and an enclosing housing 18 which surrounds it is formed 75 at its lower portion of appropriate streamline contour above and below an integral anti-cavitation plate 2.0 which is located at or slightly below the normal water level and includes also a lower stream line casing* portion 22 and a sub- 80 stantially rounded stream linel propeller carrying casing 24 which houses the substantially horizontal propeller shaft on which is mounted a propeller 28 at the rear thereof. The front of lthis housing is closed by a rounded cap 30, S6

The propeller shaft is geared by means of the usual bevel drive to the lower end of the vertical shaft 16 and thepath of the blades of the propeller 28 is directly beneath the anti-cavita- 90 tion plate 20. At the rear of the plate 20 is an: anti-torque plate 2,5 adaptedvto be secured in different angular positions at the under side of the plate 2G by'means of afastening bolt or screw 26 so that it may be adjusted for a pro- 95 peller which turns in one direction or the other and may also be adjusted atfdifferent inclinationsjto Y,equalize the side thrust or torque of `Vthe propeller, which will permit the casing 18 to turn as easily in one direction as in the otherV for steering the boat. If properly adjusted,

steering of the lower unit becomes so freethat the boat will'drive straight ahead withoutholding the steering wheel or other steering gear.

The submergible` driving unit tilts upwardly to avoid damage by contact with obstructions such as sand bars, rocks, floating logs and the like, and for this purpose a sturdy bracket 36 is attached at the stern of the boat which has a stationary housing part 38 extendingout- 110 4 tion inthe boat.

' the lower vpropeller carrying casing and the prothe teeth on the other side meshing with a bevel.v

gear 58 on the upper end of the driven shaft 16.

The sealing groove connecting the two housing portions permits the portion 42, to swing about the shaft 48 as an axis and relatively to` the stationary housing 38. Dur-ing th'isswinging movement the bevel gearsl 56, 50 and 58 are continually in mesh so that the driving connection between the engine and the prepeller 28 is unbroken at any time.

At the upper end of ythe gear casing 18 is a hollow tube to which the lower casing portion is releasably attached. by any fastening means,k such as the screws '7l` and the hollow tube is rotatable Vin the casing portion 42 for turning the lowerunit about a` vertical axis for steering. In the upper end of the tube 70 is a roller bearing 66 for the upper endl of the shaftk 16' andthe outsideof this tubular casing has av shoulder 72 for limiting the insertion of the tube 70 in the casing 42. Attached to the upper end of the tubev 70 within the casing 42 is a worm geark 76 held in place by a nut 78 which connects the casingtube 70 and the lower unit-for turningv movement in the casing porvtion 42.` ThisA worm gear '7 6y meshes with a small; pinion on shaft 82 substantially at right angles theretoandl terminating in a clutchv socket 84y outside of the housing 42 and adjavvcentto the rear of the boat. This clutch socket engages a corresponding clutch member on lshaft 86 which extends to the inside of the boat where it is provided with a driving sprocket 88 which may beI rotated by means of a suitable fiexible chain from any -desiredloca- By turning the sprocket 8 8,

peller 28 are turned angularly bythe vertical 'drive shaft 16 for steering. The clutch socket 84 permits free connection and disconnection of 'this steering mechanism duringv the tilting movement of the submergible unit.

' The upper portion ofthe lower tilting unit is "l provided with an undercut collar- 90 adapted to v position to"reverse the direction of 'movement' engage a thrust plate- 92 on a stationary bracket 94 mounted on the stern of the boat or'formed as apart of the stationary housingc38. This construction holds the lower unit in vertical position against the thrust plate 92 during 1 the ordinaryA operation of the boat, butY whenthe steering mechanism; turns the lower unit in of the boat in the water, the plate 92 willengage between and under'the portions of the collar 90- and will-prevent outward tilting move-v ment of the submergible unit.

`VTo, mountthis marine motor in a boat the engine4 casing or frame may have a flange 5v secured to the inside of the boat transom 3 by fastening; devices'i, and the engine may be acl-- ditionallyy braced or supported in the boat byf a standard 13., Attached to the iiange 5 from the outsideoiv the `transom byV fasteningwmeansv3 5 is; a] flange of the bracket 36, so that the; inboard'engine rigidly attached to thetran' propeller' carryingv housing'` adapted to be su'b' som, the propeller unit is rigidly attached tothe engine, and the engine casing closes the opening in the transom so that even if the outerunit is removed the transom opening will be closed. By mounting the entire marine motor directly upon the transom its installation Jis much simplifled requiring no stufling box or packing, and locates the engine at thestern giving more room in the. boat, and requiring nolong exhaust or water connections. y

By this construction the torque produced by the motor and by the rotational movement of the propeller which tends to turn the boat out of its true forward course may be effectively equali-zed and overcome for turning the lower driving unit as'easily in one direction as in the other for steering. 4vWith a propeller turning in the left hand direction, the anti-torque plate l 2-5 isset at an angle to the right and for a propeller turning in a right hand direction the plate is set atan anglel tothe'left. The'plate may beset 'atdifferent' angles for'propellers-v of different siZe and for'engines"hai/ing`v diiTerent torque so that the deecting tendencyr maybe entirely equalized and counter-#balanced with-Vv., outr affecting the steering' tilting lorreverse movement and so` thatthesteering becomes so free thatY the boat tends-to 'drivestraight" ahead without undue pressure on the lsteering mechanism in either'directi'onyf f' I'claim: A kj' 'I 1. In aA device of the class' described; vthe combination of a water vehiclehaving a gas engine provided with a horizontally disposedshaft, a

merged inthe water beneath the lower end` of said water vehicle and. includingl a substantially vertically disposed drivenshaft operatively connected with the horizontal shaft, means rfor turning said propeller carrying housing forv steer-i115 ing, an unbalanced resistance onI said housing for counteracting propellertorquef/and means constructedand arranged. to`permitA said propeller carrying housing tovtilt"upwardly'abouta transverse horizontal axis substantially@above-2O the level'of the water vehicle, and means for disconnecting the steering mechanismduring 'the tilting movement. c

2. VThe." combination with a boat, `of :anengine fixed therein havinga horizontal `shaft extending-,i

in a fixed location through the stern, a normally vertical propellerI carrying `jcasing and means for rotating it about a vertical axis 'for' steering, means on said casing for counteractingpropellfer torque,.a vertical shaft in the casing, a drivinggo connection between the shafts, andv means^for vmounting the casingv and its normally vertical shaft to tilt upwardly with respect to' thefixed obstructions. y Y 3. The combination with a boat having a transom, `of a motor comprising; a combustion engine secured directly to the vinside ,of the transom; a propeller drivingv andl steering unity securedfto the enginefatthe outside of the transomv andi;-TL

engine through the` transom. f

having apropeller driving*connectionffwith the 4, rhewcombmanon with'v a boat having a' transom with anv vopening therethrough, of amarine motor having a propeller driving -unitfw'ith part thereof'rotatable for steering'andfa combustion engine secured vtogetlfierandte theatransom and sealingvthe transom opening;

` 5. Thercombination with-aboat having 'a tran- A, s`om withv anopening therethrough, ofi afm'arinesg Yhorizontal shaft at the stern of the boat toy avoid motor having a propeller driving unit with a part thereof rotatable for steering and a combustion engine secured together and to the transom and one of them sealing the opening in the transom.

6. The combination with a boat having a transom with an opening therethrough, of a marine motor having a propeller driving unit independently rotatable for steering and a combustion engine secured together and the engine having a casing secured to the inside of the transom and sealing the opening therein.

7. The combination of an engine adapted to be fixed to a boat, of a driving unit dirigibly turnable for steering independently of the engine, a propeller and propeller shaft, means including gearing in said driving unit for connecting said engine and propeller shaft, a tiller for controlling said lower unit for steering, and a deflector plate in the propeller slip stream set at an angle to the direction of travel and arranged to assist the tiller in overcoming torque developed in said gearing.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a Water vehicle having a gas engine provided with a horizontally disposed shaft, a propeller carrying housing adapted to be submerged in the Water beneath the lower end of said water vehicle and including a substantially vertically disposed driven shaft operatively connected with the horizontal shaft, means for turning said propeller carrying housing for steering, and an unbalanced resistance on said housing for counteracting propeller torque.

9. The combination with a boat, of an engine xed therein having a horizontal shaft extending in a xed location through the stern, a normally vertical propeller carrying casing and means for rotating it about a vertical axis for steering, means on said casing for counteracting propeller torque, a vertical shaft in the casing, and a driving connection Ibetween the shafts. p

10. The combination with a Water vehicle having an engine therein provided with a horizontally disposed shaft, a propeller carrying housing adapted to be submerged in the Water beneath the lower end of said Water vehicle and including a substantially vertically disposed driven shaft operatively connected With the horizontal shaft, means for turning said propeller carrying housingy for steering, and an unbalanced resistance on said housing for counteracting propeller torque, and means for iixedly adjusting the resistance With respect to the housing for correspondingly varying the resistance thereof.

HARRY L. JOHNSON. 

